Handheld computing devices, “palmtops,” “palmhelds,” personal digital assistants (PDAs), or handheld computers typically weigh less than a pound and fit in a pocket. These handhelds generally provide some combination of personal information management, database functions, word processing, and spreadsheets as well as communications network connectivity, internet connectivity, voice memo recording, and telephony functions. Because of the small size and portability of handhelds, strict adherence to hardware constraints, such as input hardware must be maintained. It is conventional to have buttons or switches on the handheld computer for providing user input to the handheld computer.
Handheld computing devices may include a wireless telephony device permitting the user to make wireless communications such as mobile telephone calls or data downloads or uploads to a computer network. It is conventional to employ a touch pad, touch screen, or handwriting recognition area and/or device to provide input to the handheld computer. If no dialing device such as a keypad is included, the user may use the touch pad, touch screen, or handwriting recognition area to control the wireless telephony device.
The ways in which handheld computers may permit wireless phone calls without the use of a conventional telephone keypad include using the touch screen to select the numbers from those displayed on the screen, using the address book function of the device to choose the desired number to call, and using a voice recognition system.
If the handheld computing device does not include a conventional telephone keypad, the user may encounter difficulty and/or delay making phone calls when the touch screen is not functioning or is updating slowly, and when the operating system is not in the dialer or phone mode. Further, even when the handheld computing device has a classic telephone keypad, the user may encounter difficulties in making a phone call when one or more of the mechanical keys loses functionality.
If the user is having difficulty making a phone call because the touch screen is not functioning well or if the user does not know how or remember how to get to the proper location in the user interface to make a phone call, problems may arise, especially in the case of an emergency when the user desires to make a call to an emergency service such as 911. Accordingly, there is a need for an alternative ability to call an emergency service when conventional methods are unavailable on a handheld computing device. There is also a need for an alternative dialing method and apparatus relating to a handheld computer that enables simplified dialing of specified telephone numbers, such as but not limited to emergency service numbers. Further, there is a need for a handheld computer that includes a computer program configured to automatically dial an emergency service number when a certain combination of user inputs is applied.
The teachings herein below extend to those embodiments that fall within the scope of the appended claims, regardless of whether they accomplish one or more of the above mentioned needs.